Jane Brannen wants nothing more than to become a famous author like Jane Austen--she just needs to figure out the key to literary success! Her chance to uncover the secret arrives when famous author J. E. Fairfax visits the tiny lobster town of Whickett Harbor, Maine. Unfortunately, a hurricane rolls in and Jane gets stuck with the author's snobbish son, Devon, instead. But when the skies clear, Jane realizes the wind has blown in something worse than annoying boys: Her mother, Susan, and Susan's new fiancé, Erik, have flown all the way from Hollywood to file for custody and bring Jane back to California. Now she needs to find a mate for her marine biologist father and figure out what's truly important about Whickett Harbor, so she can prove to her mother that this is where she's meant to stay.
This was such a cute book. I recently sat in a conversation among school librarians on the difference between Middle Grade and Middle School books. Based on that conversation, although the characters in this book are in the 7th grade, I think the book reads a bit younger. While we do have a few crushes, a boy crazy best friend, and a some kids desperately trying to set up two adults, there's nothing I would feel uncomfortable giving to a 5th or 6th grader.
This was such a cute book. I recently sat in a conversation among school librarians on the difference between Middle Grade and Middle School books. Based on that conversation, although the characters in this book are in the 7th grade, I think the book reads a bit younger. While we do have a few crushes, a boy crazy best friend, and a some kids desperately trying to set up two adults, there's nothing I would feel uncomfortable giving to a 5th or 6th grader.
I would say this book is solidly good. Our protagonist, Jane, is terrified that her (dead beat) mother is going to take custody of her because her new soon to be husband loves kids. Jane and her fried Kitty (who loved Hello Kitty and I found that cute) decided that they only way to keep Jane with her dad, Jane;s dad needed a girlfriend. Flawed, but... they're kids. Watching them fumble their way through the journey was adorable. I will say, I wish we'd had the opportunity to explore Devon and his family a bit more. They are a multiracial family and Devon made some comments that made you think he was very racially conscious and I wish we could have seen a bit more. And to be honest, even though he wasn't out main character, he played a decent enough part in the story that I wish we saw more of him.
Like I said, the book is good. Not great, not bad. I would say purchase it for your collection if you have the funds but if you can't afford it, that's alright too.
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